Rhode Island kicks off new study on bottle bills after two-year delay
A new report recommends combining a bottle bill with producer responsibility rules, but the state will hold public comments until mid-November.
By David Almasi ·
Rhode Island residents will wait another round of hearings and analysis before lawmakers decide on a new bottle bill. The Department of Environmental Management released a draft report last month that outlines a potential beverage container redemption plan. The document is available for public comment on the department's website until November 16.
The new analysis was commissioned after the General Assembly passed a law in 2025 requiring a statewide study of recycling and packaging programs. This mandate came shortly after the state shelved the recommendations of the Plastic Bottle Waste Commission. That 20-member body spent two years, from summer 2023 through 2025, examining the issue.
The Plastic Bottle Waste Commission held 13 hearings and gathered testimony from lawmakers, environmental groups, and industry representatives. In April 2025, the group released an 18-page report stating that the state's recycling system is not functioning effectively. The report noted that too much recyclable packaging ends up in landfills, streets, and waterways. A majority of the commission recommended that the General Assembly adopt both a bottle bill and an extended producer responsibility program to improve recycling rates and reduce waste.
Three members of the commission argued for more study on modernizing the existing recycling system, effectively pausing the previous proposal. The state granted that request and hired a circular economy consulting firm to conduct a fresh analysis. The new draft report mirrors the earlier findings. It suggests that combining a bottle bill with an extended producer responsibility program is the most effective way to lower litter and improve recycling metrics.
Rhode Island is one of only two New England states without a long-standing bottle bill. Vermont adopted its law in 1972, followed by Maine in 1976, Connecticut in 1978, and Massachusetts in 1981. Opponents of the new measure include the Coca-Cola Co. and the Rhode Island Liquor Operators Collaborative. The state spent a decade studying and implementing its plastic bag ban, a process that involved extensive hearings and taxpayer-funded research.
The current study is part of a continuing effort to address waste management in the state. The General Assembly will review the public comments and the final report as it considers the next legislative steps. The process aims to determine the best structure for a beverage container redemption system and related packaging rules.
